This time around I caught up with STL’s Slips and Shin to discuss their opinions of the current Tekken community compared to the days of Tag as well as many other topics. Before that, MYK and I discuss MLG’s decision to exclude Tekken from their 2011 season and the EVO line up of games this year. Hope you enjoy it.

Reader Comments (27)

Agree that MLG made a mistake by dropping all fighting games and are focusing on FPS' that are going to change the game EVERY YEAR. Bad move MLG.

Also agree that players got spoiled by money, but people have generally not traveled much to rep their region in the Tekken scene since at least the 5.0 days. Scene is dying now because it ALWAYS dies after a couple years, look at history of Tekken from 5.0 to now. We didn't have MLG then, and the scene ALWAYS died the same way it is now. Its not because of MLG that turnout is dropping.

ALSO, one of the main reasons MLG had an easy decision to drop Tekken was BECAUSE of low turnout. So even as sick as those events were, they STILL didnt pull people, so Tekken TURNOUTS have been ass for awhile anyway.

Even though MLG had Tekken and Smash last year, the majority of MLG’s attention was geared towards the console shooter fans, so it comes to no shock to me that there are no fighting games this year. Plus Black Ops and Halo Reach have son a lot more copies than any fighting game, so they probably just wanted to focus on those games and Starcraft 2 for a full circuit.

Plus you have to look at the flip side. You can’t expect MLG to bring Tekken back and have a bunch of money and prizes towards it if the numbers aren’t there. That gravy train doesn’t come out of nowhere.

As for SC4, the game is still a lot of fun to play. I’m not sure if people these days still like to have fun when playing a video game, but I do. Also, SC4 is a game where if you suck, 9 times out of 10 you will lose. You need to learn the game to be good at it. If that appeals to you, then check it out.

And there’s more than 8 people still playing, but these days, not a lot of people are willing to put the effort into learning a game and maintaining a scene for it. Plus Hilde, Street Fighter 4, and having an updated game on the PSP didn’t help matters much either. And the people left who still play are the best in world which in a game like this can be intimidating to some. But there’s people still playing for those who are interested. Plus there’s still tournaments going down for SC4. The World Cup in France and Winter Brawl in Philly which I will be at are both coming up in two weeks. SC4 will be at CEO in Orlando, Florida in June. And the game will be at Devastation in Phoenix, Arizona for the third straight year which I should also be at as well. Check out 8wayrun.com for more info.

Lastly, this has to be my favorite episode by far. Such an awesome interview of the two STL players. Good shit.

Is the world cup in France and the tournament in Philly having karate champ too? Because that game is still a lot of fun and im not sure if people these days like to have fun playing video games, but I do. Karate Champ is a game where if you suck, 9 times our of 10 you will lose. You need to learn the game to be good at it. If that appeals to you, then you understand 1+1=2.

There are a lot more than 8 people playing it still, but these days not a lot of people are willing to put the effort into learning a game and maintaining a scene for it. Plus SNES, N64, Gamecube and now an updated motion controlled system didnt help matters much either. And the people left who still play are the best in (the) world which in a game like this can be intimidating to some. But there (are) people still playing for those who are interested. Check out KARATECHAMP.COM/usrslychking

I disagree with the low turnout due to MLG's act. It's definitely less about the MLG spoiling players and more about the the age of the game. KiT had 32 players...Electric Cancel 6 probably had the same... around 36 players? There are so many other factors at play here that causes the dwindling Tekken tournament participation.

Also, even if there isn't such a hostile and cursing atmosphere, that doesn't mean the game as competitive as it was back then. What's most important is the competition and that is all that matters.

Here's my theory about why people back in the arcade days were enemies and had competitive vigor that doesn't exist today.

When the games were only in the arcade, access to the game was scarce thus spending on the time with the machine was considered to be valuable.

If a person beat youhe1) is making you lose money2) is taking your access away from the machine.

and if you beat a person1) you don't lose money2) you can keep playing on the machine

Since a persons goal is to keep playing since the game is fun and not to lose money, any person who interferes with that is YOUR ENEMY.

How did consoles change this?

Console changes this because perfect port translations offered unlimited access to the game. Thus destroying for the most part, the competitive vigor because if a person beats you on a console, you don't have any motivation to get better because whether you win or lose, you still have access to the game and can still keep playing.

And thus, with that kind of environment everybody can be friends leading to a non memorable fighting game experience.

Frames in my opinion would matter less since back dash was so good in Tekken Tag, in 6 you have to think about what options and frames you have because your stuck in your opponents face. Here's how I look at it in Tekken 6 don't duck you won't loose all your life from one hit obvious right, if they mash lows, hop kick to crush it, side walk in which way the mid launcher or the low won't track that fixes that. Also what low in this game takes half life none that I can think of, Tekken 6 is more tech in my opinion, and there are hard and difficult things to master that other people can't do, k someone pick up a controller, pick law and dash into a WS4 into dss f+1 make it combo counter hit only consistently.

'These games are inferior because these other guys can win now.'Sounds like someone got their cooch hurt. Ugggh.

I don't think MLG played a role in the KiT attendance. Knoxville is a f*cking hard town to get to. How MLG affected the tournament scene... I don't know yet. If Final Round has shit attendance, I might throw in to that argument though.

Two reasons why the arcade scene lost that 'edge' that you describe: 1. fewer arcades = in arcade mentality, 2. The median age of people who play went from 15 to 25. Boom. And people are just as fun to hang out with in this day and age then they were a decade ago, damnit.

I'm with Lingmassacre, MLG has nothing to do with the attendance of KIT, Its a long drive for most players to attend, I was with Hoa and it was a 3 hour drive as is. some players are saving money for bigger events like Final Round. How long has 6 been out now? every one knows this is the last year for 6, people are waiting for Tag now. All I hear now even from people in Socal is oh well MVC3 and Mortal Kombat is coming out I think i'll just play that until Tag i'm bored of the game or I should retire, ect. I believe its the lack of interest, if anything MLG helped out a lot, some players have sponsors now and can attend more places, example RIP is also gettling help to go to Tekken Crash though check 6 gaming, they tend to help various players in the past including MYK. Before MLG what there was no Tekken sponsored player that I can think of, sure its lame MLG didn't pick up the game again. But if they did in the future I would still go.